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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28426815">'Twas Brillig</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/theorytale/pseuds/theorytale'>theorytale</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Birds and the Bees [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Blood and Gore, Crack Treated Seriously, Light Masochism, M/M, Rough Sex, Unconventional Families</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 03:35:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,136</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28426815</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/theorytale/pseuds/theorytale</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony, Loki, and Annie on a hunting trip.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Loki/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Birds and the Bees [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/19489</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>200</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>'Twas Brillig</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The premise of the series is that Loki and Tony have a daughter who is a hawk who has eight eyes, because that's the sort of thing that happens to Loki. Beyond that this story can more or less stand alone.</p><p>Oh, and the magic space hawk is the most psychologically well adjusted one in this family, but that's obvious.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Loki said 'hunting trip', this wasn't exactly what Tony had had in mind. But here they were, trekking through the alien forest on Buttfuck-nowhere-heim, with Annie dipping in and out of the tree canopy at whim.</p><p>As a concession to the activity, Loki was wearing lighter leathers - no coat, just dark pants and a short, asymmetrical tunic with green trim. It made it very easy for Tony to watch his ass as they walked, snug fit of pants under the angled hem of the tunic, and the slight rolling swagger that… well, <em>Loki</em>. The problem was, Loki's long legs ate up distance and Tony was getting tired of falling behind.</p><p>"Hold up," he said, claiming an exposed root as his seat as he retrieved his water bottle from out of his backpack. "Snack break."</p><p>Loki whistled so Annie didn't get too far ahead, and then came to sprawl somehow elegantly beside him. "For a so-called superhero, Stark, you tire easily."</p><p>Tony flipped him off. "I have a giant hunk of metal and wires in my chest. Forgive me if my lung capacity isn't quite up to scratch."</p><p>"Your poor choice in fashion accessories is hardly my fault," Loki shot back.</p><p>"Oh, don't even get me started on your fashion sense," Tony said, which bought him a good five minutes to rehydrate and snack on trail-mix while Loki performed a derisive monologue about Midgardian fashions. Despite the arc reactor, Tony was pretty fit - okay, <em>very</em> fit, he made sure of that - but he was still only human, and half a day trying to keep up with a damn Asgardian took its toll.</p><p>After a little while, Annie came flying in, with a dark, broad leaf held in her beak. She landed next to Tony on the root and took a moment to stabilize her perch before dropping the leaf in his lap.</p><p>"The sun is redder here," Tony explained, "so the leaves need to absorb more of the visible light spectrum. That makes them look black. I… assume, I don't actually know how hawk eyes work--"</p><p>"She sees further into the ultraviolet range," Loki said, and held out a hand expectantly, "and with far more general acuity than you."</p><p>Tony passed over the trail-mix without complaint. "Then it probably still looks black. Unless it's reflecting UV rays, it could be, that would make sense." He squinted up at the pale, green-tinted sky. "Closer orbit, more risk from solar flares--"</p><p>"Stellar flares," Loki murmured. "Technically."</p><p>"No, excuse me, stop right there. You use <em>magic</em> and call yourself a <em>god</em>. You do not get to argue the precision of my scientific terminology. Annie, does it look black to you?"</p><p>She chirped and bit at the leaf, tearing it; no. (Loki had a mouthful of muesli and couldn't correct her name; Tony was quite pleased with his timing.)</p><p>"Okay, so, they've evolved to reflect ultraviolet light, to protect themselves. Some of the other leaves around here look purple to me; they're reflecting a bit more of that end of the spectrum. I wouldn't be surprised if they were managing to photosynthesize infrared."</p><p>Annie rocked from foot to foot, taking that in, then gave a high caw. Tony had no idea how much of the science she actually grasped, but he trusted her to make Loki tell him if he was boring her.</p><p>Actually, she'd probably bypass Loki entirely and just start shredding his sleeve.</p><p>Loki offered back the trail-mix, significantly depleted. Tony pointed at his backpack and pushed himself off the root while Loki put the trail-mix back. "We good to go?"</p><p>"If you think you have the stamina for it," Loki said with a smirk, standing and dusting himself off.</p><p>Tony raised his eyebrows meaningfully, slinging the backpack over his shoulders again. "I didn't think you had a problem with my stamina."</p><p>Annie made a loud, aggravated cry, beating her wings at the air.</p><p>Loki coughed out a laugh. "Our apologies, Anbjörg," he said, and there was absolutely nothing apologetic about him.</p><p>He gestured at Tony then, and started off through the forest. There was no trail, but he seemed to know exactly where he was going, and Tony was content enough to follow along for now.</p><p>Annie caught up with them a moment later and landed heavily on the padded shoulder of Loki's tunic; he hissed at the grip of her talons but put up a hand to keep her perch steady as they walked. She gave a couple of inquisitive chirps.</p><p>Loki snorted. "Oh, I think I'm supposed to tell you something like… the sun is a chariot that races across the sky, chased by a giant wolf."</p><p>"Yes, see, that's more like it," Tony said agreeably. "Science is my thing, and the mythological crap is yours."</p><p>"The chariot was formed from burning embers from Muspelheim. The sun here is larger and redder than Midgard's because they are differing wheels of the chariot. And the wolf, as it happens," Loki added, glancing sideways at Annie, "is your nephew Sköll."</p><p>Okay, he had to be making that up. "Nice try," Tony said. "You do not have a... a grandson who is a wolf who chases the sun."</p><p>Loki and Annie both looked back at him with matching withering expressions. It was either cute or creepy. Possibly both. The fact that Annie had eight eyes like a spider and could easily rotate her head 180 degrees kind of tipped it towards the creepy side.</p><p>On second thought, all things considered, maybe Loki did have a grandson who was a wolf.</p><p>Oh god. <em>Grandchildren</em>. Tony flinched as his mind ran away on him: nursing homes, getting old, getting <em>senile</em>, spoon-feeding and not in the sexy way--</p><p>"Tell me again about this thing we're hunting," he said quickly, to distract himself from that train of thought. "And don't call it a--"</p><p>"The jabberwock is a fierce beast," Loki began cheerfully.</p><p>"--A jabberwock." Tony sighed. Pain in the ass. He'd tried to pronounce the thing's actual name, and driven Loki into full-blown laughter. One way or the other, it ended with him getting made fun of. "Forget it."</p><p>"It is a cunning and fearsome opponent. Its hide is thick, and it is sharp of tooth and claw."</p><p>"The jaws that bite, the claws that catch?" Tony said drily. The ground underfoot was starting to slope uphill.</p><p>"Hm, more: the jaws that bite, the claws that viciously rend to pieces." Loki stroked Annie gently with his raised hand. "It is not invulnerable, though."</p><p>"Right. You said the eyes?"</p><p>Loki nodded, pushing a low branch out of his way. "Anbjörg has the maneuverability to strike at its eyes without taking injury, especially if we distract the beast. Were either of <em>us</em> to attempt it, we would undoubtedly be gutted."</p><p>"Good to know," Tony said, resolutely ignoring the flutter of anxiety in his midriff. "You remember that I can't survive being gutted, right?"</p><p>"I remember," Loki said, not even making a joke about it, and that turned the flutter of anxiety into a full-blown whirl. "Once it is blinded the odds are much more in our favor. We take its head."</p><p><em>And go galumphing back.</em> Tony took a steadying breath. "Remind me again why we can't just hunt a nice deer?"</p><p>Loki actually stopped walking to turn and look at him. "Fear not, Stark. We'll give you a warrior's funeral. I'll be sure to drink a great deal of mead in your... honor."</p><p>At that, Tony relaxed a bit - Loki wouldn't be joking about his funeral if it was all that likely. Probably. "Just be prepared for me to haunt you extensively."</p><p>"I would expect nothing less." Loki flashed him a self-assured smile and started walking again.</p><p>--</p><p>They didn't find any so-called 'jabberwock' tracks that afternoon. Annie soared overhead, ostensibly looking for signs but maybe just enjoying the sun on her wings - god knew that was what Tony would have been doing if he were a hawk. Then again, Annie was a predator being raised by an Asgardian; she was every bit as bloodthirsty as Loki and Thor.</p><p>Tony took a few more rest breaks, but for the most part he pushed himself to keep up, struggling through the burning in his cramped lungs. He wasn't going to make Loki regret bringing him. They'd spent plenty of time on Midg-- Earth, doing American things; this was a rare glimpse into Loki's life before he'd decided to become Earth's resident patron asshole.</p><p>"So," Tony said at one point, while they were going slightly downhill and he had some breath spare to speak. "This grandson who's a wolf."</p><p>Loki gave a small huff that sounded like amusement. "It's a fairly natural consequence of having a son who's a wolf."</p><p>"Right." Tony frowned, trying to remember the stories he'd read back when Loki of Asgard was nothing more to him than a showboating, devilish, would-be conqueror. "Uh… Ferris?"</p><p>"Fenrir. He fathered both Sköll and Hati." Loki's voice dropped to a mutter. "And likely half the other wolves in the Ironwood."</p><p>Tony snickered, then had to stop talking for a while as they climbed a rise. When he had his breath back, he asked, "Has Annie met him?"</p><p>"Of course."</p><p>Wait. Loki didn't correct her name. Loki <em>always</em> corrected her name. Tony snagged the back of Loki's tunic and tugged him to a stop. "How'd that go?"</p><p>Loki folded his arms, not making eye contact. "He tried to eat her, she tore his ear--"</p><p>"<em>What--</em>"</p><p>"There's a reason we keep him chained!" Loki snapped, looking aggravated. "Anbjörg was fine, and now she understands his nature."</p><p>Tony felt cold all over. Every time he thought he had a grip on Loki, something blew it out of the water. But this was unbelievable, it went against everything he claimed to want for her. "If he's dangerous, how could you take her to--"</p><p>"Everything is dangerous. Your realm is dangerous. This hunt is dangerous." Loki took a step forwards, intense and vehement. His eyes burned into Tony's. "It is <em>more</em> dangerous to leave her without the skills she needs to protect herself."</p><p>"You couldn't find a middle ground between keeping her totally sheltered and setting up playdates with the brother who thinks she'd go just great with barbecue sauce? I mean, at least tell me there was no <em>actual</em> barbecue sauce involved, because I honestly wouldn't put anything past you right n--<em>ow, fuck</em>," he gasped out as Loki slammed him into the nearest tree trunk, blaze of snap-crack pain.</p><p>By Loki's standards, it was a pulled punch; little more than stage-fighting. Tony could tell because he was still conscious. Mostly. He was pretty sure he was still conscious. His skull was throbbing. His balance wobbled and he decided to keep hanging on to the trunk of the tree. He spent some time just blinking, until he was moderately confident in his ability to stand upright without losing his lunch.</p><p>In the meantime, Loki had let go of him and taken a few steps backwards; was breathing slow and careful and even, in tightly controlled calm. "I would advise you… not to suggest that again," he finally said.</p><p>"Yeah, I'm getting that impression," Tony muttered. He still didn't like it. The whole thing just felt so <em>wrong</em>. He never quite got used to the fact that Loki came from a different world. In more ways than one.</p><p>Okay, they were both kind of on edge, kind of wound up. It didn't help that Loki had more family issues than your average women's magazine. Now would be a good time to say something soothing and understanding, something tactful.</p><p>"Yet again, your family really puts the 'fun' in 'dysfunctional'."</p><p>Well, it was… not the <em>least</em> tactful thing he could have said. His head was pounding, goddamn. This wasn't the best condition for serious conversations.</p><p>Miraculously, Loki only sighed. "I do take precautions, Stark. I am with her; I don't just send her out alone."</p><p>"Yeah." Tony shifted his weight unsteadily, worry twisting in his chest. Asgardians didn't exactly believe in OSHA, and Loki was a trainwreck even by Asgardian standards. "Just… be careful. Please."</p><p>Loki reached out and tilted his chin up with two fingers, gentle, and Tony never knew what to do with Loki when he was being <em>nice</em>. "I am careful," Loki promised, eyes steady and voice sure. "No harm will come to her. Not while I still live."</p><p>Tony frowned unhappily. It was far from ideal, but it was the best he was going to get. At least he could be pretty confident that Loki would eviscerate anything that really tried to hurt Annie. "Okay," he said reluctantly.</p><p>"Be still," Loki murmured, and slid his hand back through Tony's hair. For one very confusing instant, Tony thought Loki was pulling him in for a kiss, and that was just <em>too</em> weird like this, all tender - when had they taken a wrong turn and blundered onto Feelings Avenue, exactly? - but Loki only cradled his head and then he felt the icy hot prickle of healing magic crawl up his skull.</p><p>Oh, that was so much better. The pain just melted away. "Thanks, sweetheart," he drawled, trying to shake the mood.</p><p>Loki rolled his eyes.  "How you mortals can stand being so breakable, I have yet to fathom." He gestured ahead of them with a hint of impatience. "Now, can we?"</p><p>Now, that was an attitude Tony was much more used to. He directed a mocking bow at Loki, with some relief, and started walking again.</p><p>--</p><p>The dips and climbs in the terrain got steeper, knolls giving way to small foothills. There began to be the occasional boulder, then rocky outcroppings. By now, they'd been hiking for most of the day.</p><p>Tony clenched his teeth, pushing onwards. He could do this. He was <em>fine</em>. Blood oxygen was overrated anyway - one of these days he'd make himself into a proper cyborg and run off the arc reactor and then he wouldn't need these stupid lungs at all.</p><p>It wasn't even much of a problem, usually. Loki was Asgardian, though, and disgustingly fit; the pace he set was a little more taxing than Tony was used to.</p><p>Loki led them to a river, with water clearer than Tony had ever seen back on Earth. Tony dropped his backpack on the ground and they set up a campfire on the bank, while Annie splashed enthusiastically in the shallows. The old, broad leaves on the ground made really good kindling when dry, and only when dry; the ones that seemed to have fallen more recently refused to catch alight at all.</p><p>Loki made a satisfied noise. "Watch the fire," he said, peeling his tunic over his head. "I'll return."</p><p>Tony cocked his head, making no attempt to pretend he wasn't watching with interest as Loki stripped. Fluid, graceful, deliberate. The play of skin over lean, flexing muscles; not a movement wasted. The whole picture bathed in alien sunlight. There were definite bonuses to Loki's constant need to show off. "Seems an odd time for skinny dipping."</p><p>Loki tossed a smirk over his shoulder, then stretched and dove through the air. By the time he hit the river's surface, he was in the form of an otter, quick and sleek. <em>How--?</em></p><p>"Okay," Tony conceded, "I've seen worse party tricks."</p><p>Annie chirped in agreement and fluttered up the bank to join him. She shook herself vigorously, then fluffed up her feathers and began to preen them. Come to think of it, that was a pretty cool party trick, too. There were definitely times in Tony's life when being more-or-less waterproof would have come in useful.</p><p>He carefully steered himself away from that train of thought and poked at the fire with a thin stick. Between getting to know Annie and working on the company, it had been months since he'd had a weekend away. And Pepper had been surprisingly agreeable about him going on a hunting trip with effectively his 'mistress' - she was pretty agreeable about Loki in general, all things considered, initial wariness faded to amused tolerance. Partly, that went to show how well-behaved Loki had become since this all began. Not even a single public slaughtering.</p><p>So here he was, on vacation, with what passed for his family (part of his family), and he was going to enjoy it. He cooed softly at Annie, digging his fingers deep into the luxurious feathers behind her head. She made faint, contented noises in her throat, relaxing flat to the ground under the attention. That was still the cutest damn thing.</p><p>Loki had flipped several fish out of the water; now he climbed back up the bank, shifting into his usual form again. Although, even now he looked a little otterlike: his hair was still wet, slicked back darkly, and his eyes were fathomless. Tony kind of wanted to lick him and see if he tasted of river water.</p><p>"I see you didn't hesitate to make yourself useful," Loki said drily, picking up the fish.</p><p>Tony spread his hands expressively. "Do I look like I know how to gut a fish?"</p><p>Loki laughed, not particularly kindly. "You are truly lost without your machines to help you, aren't you? I'll take care of dinner, Stark. Go bathe; you reek of exertion and sweat."</p><p>"Yeah, well, you reek of being a condescending douchebag," Tony muttered, but he started peeling his clothes off because hey, getting wet and naked was what vacations were all about. Also because, unless he pissed off Loki more than usual (and maybe even then), he was going to get laid later on and it was going to be awesome.</p><p>The water wasn't as frigid as he'd feared; the river was slow and meandering, and still held plenty of the day's heat. It wasn't bad… for wilderness. Obviously it wasn't something he was jumping up and down to do all the time, but as part of a special occasion kind of thing, sure, not bad, not bad at all.</p><p>More importantly, by the time he was done, the fish was ready, and it was <em>perfect</em>. Moist and flakey, with just enough smoke for flavor without being overwhelming. It practically melted on his tongue. Tony gave a low, obscene moan of pleasure, wondering just what it would take to hire Loki as his regular cook. Annie, of course, had hers raw.</p><p>After dinner Annie started scavenging and Tony thought at first that she was going to build a nest - but she stopped when she had fetched only one twig and a thin strip of tree bark. What the hell could she do with those? Plant a tiny flag in the name of Asgard?</p><p>Before he could ask anything about it, Loki pinched his arm sharply and hissed, "Be nice."</p><p>"Um, <em>ouch</em>." Tony rubbed his arm, biting back some choice swearwords as he eyed Loki indignantly. It was a stick and some bark, for god's sake, what was there to not be nice about? "That was uncalled for. God, your fingers are bony."</p><p>Loki actually had the nerve to be giving him a threatening look - and not just 'I will make your life miserable' but downright deadly. <em>What?</em> Even Annie rustled her wings, giving a low, uncertain cry.</p><p>Loki crouched a little and spoke soothingly to her. "No, no, sweetheart. We want to see. Go ahead."</p><p>Er, wait. <em>Was</em> she going to plant a tiny flag in the name of Asgard? Tony cocked his head in vague bemusement as Annie carefully gathered her twig and piece of bark.</p><p>She looked around for a moment, obviously thinking, then flew up into one of the closer trees and wedged her goods in the fork of its branches. There, she gave a long series of chirrups that rose and fell in a strangely hypnotic pattern. Singing. She was singing.</p><p>In time with the rhythm, the single twig multiplied. The strip of bark lengthened. Like some trick of stop-motion filming, the whole collection wove itself into a perfect, tidy nest. Did hawks even <em>build</em> nests? Obviously magic space hawks did. From a couple of tiny scraps and no sign of where the extra mass had come from, skipping straight past 'conservation of energy' to 'the hell with physics anyway'.</p><p>"My god," Tony breathed in awe. That… that was <em>incredible</em>. He elbowed Loki in excitement, grinning uncontrollably. "Did you see that? Did you-- She just conjured a nest by singing, an entire nest. Look at that, that's fantastic, <em>she's</em> fantastic."</p><p>"Of course I saw," Loki said, looking smug and self-satisfied. Well, of course; he must have been the one to teach her magic, after all.</p><p>Tony frowned, his arm still throbbing painfully where Loki had pinched it. "So, wait, why wouldn't I be nice about that?"</p><p>That earned him a raised eyebrow and the 'you must be <em>joking</em>' look. He hadn't seen that one in a while. Loki said, "Because I know how you feel about <em>magic</em>, you fool."</p><p>"How I--" Tony cocked his head, frowning again, then looked from Loki to Annie and back to Loki. "No, look, I know I give you a hard time, but that's <em>you</em>. I make fun of you, you make fun of me, sometimes there's an excess of nudity; I mean, I think it's fairly obvious that's a completely inappropriate dynamic for me and Annie--"</p><p>"Anbjörg," Loki corrected absently.</p><p>"Sure, but I don't-- I mean, come on--" Tony looked at Annie again, feeling his chest tighten like it had when they were hiking.</p><p>Like it had every time he'd wanted <em>his</em> dad to be proud of him, a feeling that now came suddenly rushing back, completely undiminished by years. Loki really thought-- Loki thought he would--</p><p>Tony pulled away abruptly. He covered it up by walking up to the tree Annie had chosen, forcing a bright smile onto his face. "Don't listen to him, kiddo. Of course I'm proud of you."</p><p>Loki gave an audible sigh, behind him. "Stark…"</p><p>Tony kept his attention on Annie. She'd hopped out of the nest and walked a little way along one of the branches to reach him. She gave a little trilling coo that sounded more like a pigeon than a hawk, pressing her head against his cheek. Tony's smile turned more genuine as he leaned into the soft, silky caress.</p><p>"You're so clever," he murmured, running his knuckles along her wing. "Who's my beautiful, clever girl, huh? That was incredibly cool. I mean, think about the applications, the possibilities-- even from a non-commercial standpoint, just look at the design. You got every twig exactly where you wanted it, didn't you?"</p><p>"<em>Stark.</em>"</p><p>"I'm just going to brush my teeth." Tony patted Annie lightly before he turned away. He didn't bother to glance at Loki as he walked past. They hadn't strayed far from the river and it didn't take him long to follow the sound of running water back to its banks. He sat down near the remains of the campfire and stared, unseeing, at the water's surface.</p><p>He wasn't like his father. He wasn't like Loki's father. He wasn't making the same mistakes. Annie knew-- he made sure she knew-- he made <em>sure</em>.</p><p>Except he only saw her in the weekends and what if Loki knew something he didn't, what if Loki was <em>right</em>? What if Annie thought…</p><p>Tony took a long, slow breath in, and let it out just as slowly. He felt like throwing stones at the water, but there weren't any nearby. He dug his fingers into the… whatever the plantlife here on the riverbank was: soft, small dark leaves that wasn't quite like a moss.</p><p>Okay. Everything was fine. It wasn't personal; Loki was just a little touchy about certain things, got a little panicky. And Tony, well… maybe Tony was, a little bit, too.</p><p>There was a rustle of foliage behind him, Loki making a deliberately noisy approach. Tony closed his eyes, taking another long breath, in and out. He heard Loki come and sit next to him. Neither of them spoke right away, quietly assessing the tension. Finally Tony opened his eyes and glanced to his left.</p><p>With a wry expression, Loki held out Tony's toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste.</p><p>Right. Those.</p><p>Tony waited for Loki to put them on the ground, then picked them up and flipped open the cap on the toothpaste. While he brushed his teeth, Loki waited in uncharacteristic silence. Or maybe he was just deciding what to say, because then he looked up and told Tony, "She was pleased. At how proud you were. That she could share something she enjoys with you."</p><p>"That's good," Tony said. Then he added with a frown, "I hope this water doesn't have brain-eating bacteria in it."</p><p>Loki sighed, rising to his feet. "You're a buffoon."</p><p>It was delivered in a fairly mild tone, so that was practically a compliment.</p><p>--</p><p>Annie had her magic nest, but Tony didn't put much thought into where he and Loki were going to sleep until he was being led into an actual . goddamn . cave. He stared around the inside in disbelief. "You said no tent!"</p><p>Loki gestured at the rocks around them, feigning innocence. "Do you see a tent?"</p><p>Damn asshole trickster gods. "I thought there'd be <em>something</em>," Tony protested. "A cabin! Not a hole in the side of a hill."</p><p>"Close your eyes," Loki said, with a smile that Tony didn't trust one bit.</p><p>"Yeah, I'm going to have to pass--"</p><p>"Stark," Loki murmured, sliding a hand around Tony's waist to hold him close. "Close. Your. Eyes."</p><p>It was reckless and Tony knew better, but he closed his eyes and let his head tilt back. He felt Loki's mouth capture his in a surprisingly soft kiss. Tony pushed up into it, taking hold of Loki's shoulders as the kiss deepened. His heart beat faster.</p><p>And then he was tipping backwards, falling, and Tony flailed frantically for a moment until his fall was cut abruptly short by something a lot more cushioning than a cave floor. Loki hitched them both further onto the mattress. He pinned Tony's hands above his head and grinned down at him.</p><p>"Now you are just where I want you."</p><p>"Lying on a bed?" Tony scoffed. "That's it? Your kinky fantasies could use a little work, I'm just saying."</p><p>"Alone and defenseless," Loki drawled it out, voice low and decadent, "worlds away from anyone you know, with no means of returning home."</p><p>Tony's stomach lurched. Well, shit. That was something he probably should have considered. He'd been hanging out with Friendly Parental Loki for so long, he'd forgotten how scary Insane Sociopath Loki could be.</p><p>...And <em>hot</em>.</p><p>"I, uh. Didn't think of that," he admitted. He ran the tip of his tongue over his lower lip, heart-rate picking up further.</p><p>"I know." Loki smiled at him, all sly satisfaction, practically purring with it. "That's what makes it so exquisite. You came perfectly willingly… and now you're at my mercy. Shall I, do you think? Show mercy?"</p><p>Tony was at least… eighty percent sure Loki was just fucking with him.</p><p>Maybe seventy-five percent.</p><p>"Alright, that's a little kinkier, I'll grant you." It came out hoarser than he meant it to.</p><p>Loki made a contemplative noise, giving a show of considering his options. "I could do anything with you that I wished. I could make you my bedslave, to serve at my whim. I could have you whenever and however it pleased me to do so."</p><p>Yeah, okay, good. Soon would be good. Tony let his legs fall ever so slightly open, breathing faster as Loki's hips settled into the offered space. At the same time, he lifted his chin, holding Loki's gaze. "I'd escape."</p><p>"You'd try." Loki's smile edged into a smirk, downright predatory. "And I'd have <em>so much fun</em> stopping you."</p><p>An edge of worry ran through Tony's arousal and he had to admit - that part was a turn-on, too. Or he never would have slept with Loki in the first place. He cleared his throat and tried to act like he had a little more self-control than he really did. "Okay, I think you enjoy imagining this scenario just a little too much."</p><p>Loki's lips brushed his ear. "<em>So do you.</em>" That dangerous tongue flicked out to lick along the curve of his ear, then teeth gently tugged at the lobe before letting go again. "Does it excite you to think of how I'll use you? To think that your only worth is in how much you satisfy me? Just imagine... you'll be free of all your worries... need think of nothing other than to please me."</p><p>Okay, seventy percent. He was definitely at least seventy percent sure Loki was just messing with him.</p><p>Loki kept going in that low, breathy murmur. "Should I keep you in chains, do you think? Should I lock you away for only my eyes? Or should I have you on display for all to see," and without lifting up much Loki dragged his gaze down the top half of Tony's body, soft sweep of eyelashes while his lower half started to rock against Tony's, "and know that you are mine and mine alone. Let them watch as I debauch you. Let them see how much you like it, see you beg for it."</p><p>Tony groaned a little, spreading his legs wider to fit Loki rocking against him. "Are you going to fuck me or are you going to talk me to death?"</p><p>Loki laughed dangerously. "Maybe I haven't decided yet. Maybe I want <em>you</em> to talk, to tell me each and every thing I'm going to do to you."</p><p>Tony groaned again, rolling his head sideways to give Loki better access to his neck. He slid a hand between them to undo the button on his pants and pull down the zipper. "Like, uh. Whether you'd pass me around--"</p><p>Loki gave a little growl, nipping Tony's skin harder than he'd prefer. "I don't like to share."</p><p>"Okay," Tony agreed easily. He wasn't sure if Loki was serious or playing but his body liked it, and, well, Tony liked to listen to his body. "So you'd just... fuck me in front of them, show them what they're missing..."</p><p>"Mmm." Loki ground against him harder, faster. Tony felt flushed all over. He let his head fall back, gasping Loki's name.</p><p>"You want me to, don't you," Loki purred. "You want me to claim you, right now. You want me to <em>take you</em>... hard... deep..."</p><p>Tony groaned deeply, arching up underneath the press of Loki's body. "<em>Yes.</em>"</p><p>Loki stopped moving and smiled brightly down at him. "It does sound fun, doesn't it? We should try that one day."</p><p>And then the fucker <em>climbed off him</em> and moved to the other half of the bed.</p><p>Tony stared up at the roof of the cave, trying to kickstart his brain. He was short of breath, desperately turned on, and <em>brutally cockblocked</em>. "What."</p><p>"Sleep well!" Loki said cheerfully.</p><p>Son of a bitch. Goddamn fucking <em>asshole</em>. Tony growled a little, rolling over and crawling to where Loki had slipped under the covers. He slammed his fist into the meat of Loki's shoulder, because that tended to be a little less rough on the knuckles than punching him in the face. "I will kill you."</p><p>"Then you really will have no way home," Loki pointed out, looking completely unintimidated.</p><p>"Why does everything have to be a mindfuck with you, huh? Why can't you just say what you want, say 'hey, Tony, I want it rough,' it's, what's, it's four words. What is so hard about four words to you? Are you allergic to being straightforward?"</p><p>"Where would be the fun in that?"</p><p>"I hate you so much."</p><p>"You really don't," Loki said, and his eyes were strangely soft and fond. Tony didn't quite know what to do with that look, so he ignored it.</p><p>Loki at least had the decency to lift up when Tony started tugging on his tunic, helping to slide it off. Tony pulled his own t-shirt over his head and toed off his shoes while Loki threw the covers back. The backpack was still outside. "Tell me you can summon the--"</p><p>"This?" Loki asked, plucking a bottle of lube from the air. It wasn't the bottle from the backpack but Tony wasn't picky.</p><p>"And a condom," he insisted. Loki made a disgruntled face but didn't argue, summoning one of those from his physics-defying pocket dimension thingy. Tony pushed his pants down and kicked them off while Loki just finished undressing the magic way, pants shimmering away.</p><p>Tony wrapped his hand around Loki's cock and gave a couple of firm pulls, feeling it harden further in his hand. He grabbed the condom packet and tore it open to roll the condom down over Loki's cock. The air in the cave was blissfully cool on his flushed skin. His own erection throbbed.</p><p>Loki looked at him a little quizzically. "You're not going to fuck me?"</p><p>"Oh, I am," Tony said, then elaborated; "I'm going to ride you until your brain leaks out your ears." He straddled Loki and leaned forward to kiss his throat, sucking a brief bruise into the skin.</p><p>"Promises, promises," Loki murmured, but his voice was rough and his eyes were hungry.</p><p>Tony started applying the lube, making Loki's breathing hitch. "I was implicitly promised dick and I'm going to collect. Problem with that?"</p><p>"Not in the slightest," Loki said. He smiled, draping a hand over the back of Tony's neck. "But Tony - <em>I want it rough.</em>"</p><p>Tony's cock throbbed. Okay, so Loki <em>could</em> say it out loud. That was... that was good to know. "You're in luck," he rasped, reaching down for Loki's cock; "so do I." </p><p>Carefully, bearing down, he eased himself onto Loki's cock. It hurt a little but it was deeply satisfying; the push, the slightly drunk feel, head reeling, the dragging sense of static. He lifted himself up and pushed down again, groaning. Loki made a gratifying sound of pleasure.</p><p>"Face?" Tony asked, and Loki nodded breathlessly.</p><p>Tony braced himself, and leaned forward to backhand Loki across the cheek; Loki turned his face with the blow to soften it, but it still left the back of Tony's hand sore. He breathed hard then did it again, watching Loki's eyes, dark and hungry.</p><p>"You like that?" Tony murmured, blood thrumming pleasantly. "You want to hurt?"</p><p>"You don't have the spine," Loki sneered, and dragged his fingernails down Tony's chest.</p><p>Tony grabbed Loki by the hair and pulled tightly. "Now you're just asking for it."</p><p>"That <em>was</em> the idea," Loki said disdainfully, and Tony had to fight not to laugh.</p><p>Loki scraped a nipple, then, and Tony sucked in a breath. He could take a hint; he leaned down and took one of Loki's own nipples into his mouth, biting hard. Loki panted, squirming slightly. Tony rewarded him by pulling up and pushing down again, slowly working his hips, getting Loki deeper into him each time.</p><p>After a while he pushed Loki's hands away, pushed them down against the bed - not that he could really restrain Loki but they both enjoyed the pretense. "How about you just lay there while I keep fucking you, huh," Tony muttered, letting the words just fall out of his mouth. "While I ride the best part of you. Just like that, just take it."</p><p>He liked Loki's hands on him but he also liked this: Loki without control, not trying to guide his motion or rhythm or speed; Loki sprawled and surrendered beneath him, arching up with those soft, wanton sounds...</p><p>"You love it," Tony breathed, letting his hands roam Loki's body, pinching and stroking in turns. With his mouth he alternated kisses and bites. Occasionally he moved at the wrong angle and there'd be a brief sharp pain, but mostly he rolled his hips against Loki's and felt nothing but pleasure and a hunger for more.</p><p>Gradually Loki pushed up more and more, thrusting faster while clutching safely at the bedsheets. Tony grinned, sweeping his hand up Loki's side and nibbling at the side of his jaw. "Yeah?"</p><p>"Yes..." Loki let his head fall back in obvious pleasure, voice coming from deep in his throat. "Tony, ah."</p><p>Tony shuddered with a jolt of lust, clenching briefly around Loki's cock. He liked the sound it got him so he did it again, more deliberately. Loki gave an open-mouthed groan, the sheets tearing a little in his grasp.</p><p>"Careless," Tony panted, digging his fingernails into Loki's skin. Sweat was rolling down his spine. "Have to punish you for that. What do you think, spanking? Flogging? Those looked like good sheets."</p><p>"They're... easily replaceable," Loki got out, but he was breathless and practically whimpering.</p><p>Tony thought of saying '<em>so are you</em>', but it seemed a little harsh for the sex they were having, so he stowed that away for a time with more insults. Instead he pushed himself against Loki harder, breathing in quick gasps as he felt Loki's movements get less coordinated. The sound echoed in the rough cave. Finally Loki threw his head back, moaning deep as he came.</p><p>Tony slowed his movements, dragging it out until Loki grimaced and pushed at him. He climbed off and kind of pasted himself against Loki's side, rubbing against him a little as he gave a low chuckle. "You like that?"</p><p>"I should think that was obvious," Loki said, but it came out slurred and amused more than snarky. After a few moments he peeled the condom off and tossed it aside.</p><p>Loki rolled towards Tony a little, wriggling to find comfort on his side as he lowered a hand to slide along Tony's cock. His grasp was firm but gentle, unhurried, as he made a lascivious expression. "What shall we do about this?"</p><p>"Three guesses, and the first two don't count," Tony said, eyes falling half-closed as he pushed into Loki's touch. He could see the marks he'd left on Loki's skin, rapidly fading. The gleam in Loki's eyes, the fall of dark hair over Loki's shoulder. The memory of Loki calling him by name, his first name, the sound of it on Loki's tongue--</p><p>It didn't take long before pleasure overtook him; Tony came with a strangled cry, spilling over Loki's hand and wrist. Loki held his gaze, lifting his hand to his own mouth to tongue the liquid left behind.</p><p>Tony wrinkled his nose, but as long as Loki wasn't trying to make <em>him</em> taste it the guy could do what he wanted. Tony rolled onto his back, breathing hard at first, slowly getting his breath back.</p><p>And... now they were going to... go to sleep. Together. After sex.</p><p>Tony blinked at the roof of the cave, suddenly all too aware of the size of the bed and the tiny sliver of distance between his and Loki's bodies. "Uh," he said, voice still kind of rough. "I don't know how you want to..."</p><p>"Just keep to your side and I'll keep to mine," Loki said, somewhat acerbically considering the fun they'd just had. So Tony had made him defensive, great.</p><p>Tony managed to keep his mouth shut as he shuffled sideways. Loki pulled the covers back up. There was still a dim light coming in from the entrance of the cave, but not much. Tony bit his lip. Maybe he should put his back to Loki. Maybe that would send the wrong message, come across more distancing than he meant it. Well, maybe he should face Loki, curl up on his side. This would be easier if they were spooning-- no, that was definitely too weird.</p><p>"Stop <em>thinking</em>," Loki said in exasperation, and flung his arm out toward Tony, hand coming to rest on Tony's forearm.</p><p>This, Tony decided, might even be more awkward. He lay still, hyper-aware of his skin where Loki was touching him, all warm and tingly.</p><p>Eventually, he must have fallen asleep.</p><p>--</p><p>"Here."</p><p>Tony awoke to daylight streaming into the cave and Loki thrusting some sort of alien fruit in his face.</p><p>"Breakfast in bed," Tony said, when he was coherent enough to make words. "You shouldn't have."</p><p>Loki dropped the fruit next to him and pulled another one out of the air, along with a knife which he used to start peeling it. The fruit itself looked kind of like a cantaloupe, but a deep purple inside. Loki's hair was wet and he'd clearly washed already.</p><p>Tony picked up the melon next to him and turned it in his hands. "I left my knife in my other pants," he joked.</p><p>Loki rolled his eyes, but when he was done peeling he handed his fruit to Tony, and took the intact one to start slicing into.</p><p>Breakfast was a messy affair, and Tony may have made a bit of a show of thoroughly licking the juice off every last inch of his hands, but instead of more sex it got him Loki throwing a towel at his face and telling him to go bathe. Tony pouted a little but he still felt pretty good so he went along with it.</p><p>Annie was rolling around the clearing with the corpse of some poor dead animal - at least, Tony hoped it was a corpse. He washed and dressed and watched Annie while he finished towelling his hair; Loki seemed to have started playing some sort of game with her that involved grabbing at the small animal corpse while Annie made little possessive shrieks and snapped at his fingers.</p><p>"Better you than me," Tony muttered, all too aware of how sharp Annie's beak was.</p><p>Loki laughed and stroked Annie's head before rising to his feet. "Anbjörg, eat up, we'll be going soon."</p><p>Annie started ripping into the animal and if it hadn't been dead before, it sure as hell was now. Tony hid his grimace by going to stow the towel in his backpack. That involved taking half the contents of the pack out so he could put them back in a reasonable order, leaving things like the trail mix near the top.</p><p>Finally he shouldered the pack on and turned around to face the crime scene that was Annie eating breakfast. "I'm good."</p><p>Annie paused to give him a little chirrup, then went back to tearing off chunks of meat. Loki was watching fondly, and really, Tony needed to ask Thor a lot more questions about childhoods in Asgard. How much was Annie being a hawk and how much was... Loki?</p><p>On second thought, maybe it was better not to ask.</p><p>Annie finished up her breakfast, and Loki put the remains of the animal in a hole near where they'd had the fire. He covered it and gestured to Annie. "Alright, Anbjörg."</p><p>She chirped and then beat her wings, launching into the sky. Tony watched with a smile, then fell into step with Loki.</p><p>--</p><p>They hiked for maybe an hour before Annie came to rest on Loki's shoulder, enthusiastically chirping at him. Loki listened with an intent look on his face, then nodded.</p><p>"That sounds like Aevajadar. How far to the north?"</p><p>Some more bird noises, and then Loki looked over at Tony. "She's found it. We need to start treading more carefully."</p><p>Tony nodded, picking up the subtext of that, and took off his backpack to get at the gauntlet he'd packed. He ran the cable through the sleeve of his t-shirt and connected it to the arc reactor, flexing his fingers to adjust to the fit. Then, pack back on, he walked a pace behind Loki, watching the forest for signs of danger.</p><p>Annie didn't take to the sky again, but fluttered from tree branch to tree branch, leading the way for them. After a while, Loki stopped, flinging an arm out in Tony's path.</p><p>Tony stopped, too. He didn't see anything, just leaves moving in the breeze. He tried listening, straining his ears. There wasn't much to hear, either.</p><p>That was probably a bad sign. He felt like an old Western suddenly: <em>it was quiet... too quiet.</em></p><p>Annie was perched on a branch, head cocked, feathers ruffled.</p><p>Suddenly something huge came running at them. Loki threw something at it and dived for Tony, knocking him down and rolling them out of the way. "Anbjörg! The eyes!"</p><p>"Shit," Tony muttered, getting his gauntleted hand free and firing at the monster just as it shook off the effects of whatever Loki had thrown. It was flung back, and Tony saw it clearly for the first time; something like a large bear with tattered ears and way too many teeth. And legs. That was definitely six legs.</p><p>Loki rolled to his feet, a knife in each hand. "Don't let it near us," he gasped out. "It's too fast--"</p><p>"Don't need to tell me twice." Tony rolled his shoulder and then fired again. Annie dived at the beast, screeching fiercely, and Tony had to remind himself he wasn't going to hit her. She knew what she was doing. Loki knew what he was doing. This was going to be okay.</p><p>The beast roared and tried to claw at Annie, but she veered out of its way. Tony saw why Loki had said she had the maneuverability for this. She darted in and out, dodging its mouth and massive claws, and pierced one of its eyes.</p><p>The monster roared again, rearing back and swiping at the air almost too fast for Tony to follow. He saw Annie tumble and quickly right herself; the edge of a paw must have clipped her. Tony fired another shot, keeping his aim low, and that distracted the thing long enough for Annie to get in and claw out its other eye.</p><p>Loki moved in, then, and cheesy as it was Tony had to admit it kind of was like watching poetry in motion. If poetry were a lot more lethal. Loki moved a lot like Annie, in quick attacks that let him dodge out of the way while the beast clawed blindly at where it thought he might be. Tony aimed carefully, making sure he was nowhere near Loki or Annie, and fired off another shot. Swiftly Loki ducked back in and sliced his knife right across the thing's throat. It made a truly awful gargling sound, then collapsed.</p><p>Annie let out a loud, pleased cry, wings beating at the air. Loki turned to grin, covered in blood and good god, Tony shouldn't find that hot.</p><p>"We're all alive," he said, walking forward to meet them. "Yay."</p><p>Loki pushed the beast onto its back and sliced it open. Annie came to perch on one of its thick arms, watching with interest. Bloodthirsty freaks.</p><p>"This," Loki said, pulling out something purple and slimy, "is an organ that serves a purpose vaguely like your liver. It also allows the jabberwock to recycle protein. It's considered a delicacy." Annie made an interested chirp at that last part.</p><p>"Considered by who?" Tony said, eyeing it with distaste.</p><p>Loki laughed, and before Tony could duck away Loki had smeared it wetly across his face. "And now you are a man."</p><p>"<em>Eugh</em>," Tony said emphatically. "That's unbelievably gross. Besides, I'm a bit old for a rite of passage."</p><p>"You didn't think we were here for Anbjörg, did you?" Loki said, pulling the big innocent eyes routine. "She's far too young."</p><p>"Nice try," Tony told him, "but if this was an Asgardian rite of passage we'd be hunting something <em>on Asgard</em>."</p><p>Loki easily replied, "There are no wild beasts left on Asgard. Thor has eaten them all."</p><p>Tony had to laugh. Even with his face tacky with animal blood he was finding Loki's bullshit strangely amusing and endearing instead of annoying. Plus, Loki mentioned Thor of his own volition, that was encouraging.</p><p>Annie flew to him, resting briefly on his shoulder to lick at the blood on his face. Tony shook his head helplessly. "You're both gross."</p><p>"Anbjörg, try this," Loki said, tossing the... organ... into the air. Annie launched off fast enough to catch it in her talons, and she landed on the ground to begin tearing at it.</p><p>Loki kept rummaging around the rest of the internal organs, which was, quite frankly, disgusting. He seemed to find what he was looking for because he pulled another wet, slimy thing out and sliced it open. From inside it he pulled three pale orbs that he slipped into a pouch.</p><p>"Those glands are extremely valuable to mages," Loki explained, glancing at Tony. "Their uses are... many."</p><p>"I officially don't want to know," Tony said. He unplugged the gauntlet and slid it off, ready to pack away. "On so many levels."</p><p>Anbjörg made a noise that sounded a lot like laughter.</p><p>#</p>
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